


Cuddling

by HiddenViolet



Series: Violet's December Writing 2019 [21]
Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Couch Cuddles, Found Family, Gen, Protective JT, Sleepy Cuddles, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:14:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22546111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenViolet/pseuds/HiddenViolet
Summary: Fluff - JT helps take care of Malcolm in the aftermath of John Watkins.
Relationships: Malcolm Bright & JT Tarmel
Series: Violet's December Writing 2019 [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559452
Comments: 8
Kudos: 97





	Cuddling

**Author's Note:**

> Not dead! Just very busy with school. I'll finish this series yet.

JT looked over at his friend and sighed. The entire mess with John Watkins had taken its toll on the younger man. It hadn’t seemed quite possible before but it had made each of the problems he had worse. His nightmares were more surreal and horrible, his hallucinations more prominent, and his eating habits were practically non-existent.

That meant that although the younger man was taking some time off from work, he was looking horrible. Gil had suggested that each of them pick a few days of the two weeks, to spend with Malcolm. So that even though he was off from work, he still had his family with him.

JT had agreed with the idea but hadn’t realized that it was going to be so hard. Malcolm was normally pretty fun to be around. His naturally upbeat personality and tendency to want to turn everything into a joke often allowed for some good times together. But the mess had tamped on his humor and his personality was looking distinctively pessimistic. JT just wasn’t sure what to do.

He thought back on the things that had helped Malcolm in the past and made a decision before he could talk himself out of it. He stood up, picked up both his and Malcolm’s beers and set them on the table next to him. He didn’t meet Malcolm’s confused eyes, instead, he scooped him up and sitting him in his lap. Malcolm opened his mouth to ask a question but JT shushed him.

“We’re going to lay here and cuddle until you feel better. And I mean actually better, not pretending to be better so that you can make us feel better. Actually, feeling better. So, we’re going to put on those goofy cartoons you like so much and cuddle until everything is just a little easier to deal with. After that, we’re going to eat pie. Understand?”

“Is this another one of those ‘big brother, little brother’ activities that are a requirement? The ones I don’t know about and therefore you could make up whatever you wanted without me knowing the difference?”

“Those are the ones. Now watch the damn TV. We _are_ going to get through this if it takes us all night. Clear?”

“Crystal. Here, you work the remote, I’ve going to adjust so that I don’t cut off your circulation. JT took the remote and began flicking through the channels. Malcolm shifted around for a minute until the majority of his weight was resting firmly on JT’s thighs. Then he sunk back into the warm chest with a soft sigh of relief.

“Cold?” JT questioned. Malcolm nodded. After the events in the cellar, he never could seem to feel very warm. All he wanted to do was to feel comfortable and safe. Without someone there to make it so, it was tough.

JT was one of the few people that Malcolm genuinely felt very safe with. One of the people who he both could trust to want to look after him and those with the capability to actually do so. That list also included both Gil and Dani. He loved his mom but she wasn’t the most attentive at times and he adored Edrisa, but her specialty was people who were already dead.

JT though, he was warm and comfortable. He would make sure that Malcolm was safe and that no one was going to hurt him. Before he knew it, his eyes were closing and Malcolm was off into the world of slumber.

PS

Most of JT’s attention was on the movie. To him, as long as Malcolm wasn’t visibly upset or trying to get away from their designated bonding time, then he was going to leave it be. That was probably the reason that it took him so long to notice that Malcolm was sound asleep on his chest. All he did was look down and come face to face with the sleeping consultant.

Not wanting to wake him, or to risk Malcolm not going back to sleep, all he did was put on another movie and continue to hold Malcolm close to him. However, he wasn’t long to follow his friend and, in a few minutes, JT had joined him amongst the sleeping.

PS

Waking up in these situations was always a little odd for JT. He never minded knowing that he had allowed Malcolm to get more sleep. He never minded the cuddling that came with these sessions either. Both for himself and the younger man.

What he didn’t want was the crick in his neck that came from falling asleep on the couch. The ache in it had him once again promising himself that he would just move the TV to the bedroom so that he could fall asleep on his bed while watching it.

That wasn’t going to help him right now though. Malcolm was still curled on his chest looking impossibly young without his trademark expensive suits and slicked-back hair. JT hated to wake him from what was one of his very unusual sound sleeps, but he knew that both of them needed to eat breakfast and then he needed to get ready to go to work.

He very gently nudged and jiggled the younger man a few times. It was enough to have the younger man startling awake. He blinked his eyes blearily up at JT. JT smiled at him fondly, unable to help the expression. If he was cute before, he was downright adorable now.

He gave a soft yawn which he hid behind his hand in a very high-class way and stood up and stretched. JT was soon to follow him, tugging at the muscles that had tightened over the hours spent in an unideal situation. Once he had everything stretched out, he headed to the kitchen to start on breakfast.

Malcolm followed him into the kitchen watching tiredly as JT prepared both of them cheesy egg omelets. A glance at the clock revealed that he was about to be late for work.

He stuck the rest of his omelet into a to-go container and threw on some clothes for work.

“See you later, Malcolm. Don’t even think about coming into work. Or I will make you regret it.” A quick kiss to the head and he was out the door. 

**Author's Note:**

> Comment and Kudos if you liked it.


End file.
